Collaboration

Collaboration is another core value of the Sisters of Charity and the Foundation. The definition for collaboration is pretty basic. It is to work with others to achieve a common goal.

When I was in Boy Scouts we had a “tug of war” contest. There were eight guys on one side, eight on the other and a huge mud pit in the middle. When the contest began, the pulling began. I was on the front of the team and I became acutely aware of the muddy pit only a few feet in front of me. I yelled back to my team members to pull harder. One guy on our team was bigger and stronger than the rest of us. He gave a big heave and that was all it took. The guys on the other side lurched forward and half of them plunged into the mud pit, much to our delight.

It was my first known experience where collaboration was pretty clear to me. I could not have done this task alone but with seven other guys helping me pull in one direction, the mission was easier and it was more achievable. This same concept can be applied to so many other things. For example, I have witnessed hundreds of volunteers clean an entire town in one day by working together picking up trash.

When foundations and other organizations collaborate, several things occur. It gives you added human capacity, it gives additional financial resources and it also gives focus to a bigger goal that will better the community. This has also been accomplished through partnerships with business and government.

Collaboration is a great concept but it is not always easy to implement. It requires flexibility, group thinking, a willingness to give up control and a belief that the “greater good” will benefit from multiple partners. Collaboration really works when we become less about territory and more about opportunity.

I have seen more and more nonprofit organizations willing to collaborate during these difficult economic times. It makes sense financially, organizationally and some times it can be the only way they will sustain themselves and survive over the long run. With philanthropic dollars as scarce as we have ever seen, collaboration is a “must” in today’s nonprofit world.

We must be willing to put our own self interests aside and find common ground that will benefit more people and communities. It is not only the way to survive this economic storm, but it is the right thing to do and the right time to do it.

Collaboration is an important core value of the Foundation and the Sisters of Charity Health System as a whole. It is basically working together to maximize your potential to meet your mission and goals. Here is hoping we can find new ways to all work together collaboratively both now and in the future.

Tom Keith is the president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina

Ethics are Important in Nonprofits

Ethics are extremely important in nonprofit organizations and for many different reasons. The challenges facing nonprofits today is greater than ever before. This is true with financial, operational and organizational issues. Ethical dilemmas face nonprofits in all three of these areas.

Recently, the United Way of Charlotte was placed under the microscope when the board’s executive committee, unbeknownst to many of the other board members, took nearly $1 million of donor funds and placed it in the retirement account of the CEO. Their explanation was that it was to make up for past commitments. The outcome of this dilemma was not pretty. The chairman of the board and several trustees resigned. The public relations fall out to the United Way of Charlotte was devastating. Their financial campaign was significantly down from the previous year, and the CEO was forced to resign and has since sued the United Way for wrongful termination.

Could this all have been avoided? Yes. First of all, there should be full disclosure among all board members. A commitment of this nature was the first mistake made by the board of trustees. You don’t want to promise things that you will have to pay for later, particularly if it involves a lump sum of nearly $1 million. If a commitment was made to the CEO then an equitable plan should be devised that is fair to the donors, fair to the CEO and protective of the reputation of the United Way.

Trustees are as responsible as staff for the health and well-being of a nonprofit. There should be a code of ethics, conflict of interest statements signed by every board member and other checks and balances in place to protect the integrity of the organization. In addition, the board should appoint a committee to monitor the board’s performance and behavior.

Every nonprofit is beholding to the public trust. When they accept a donation or grant from an individual or group, they have a fiduciary responsibility to protect these funds and use it for its mission and purpose. When one nonprofit falters then it has a very negative impact on other nonprofit organizations in that community. It is without question that nonprofit are, and should be, held to a higher standard. It is the role of the board and staff to insure that protective measures are put in place and certain standards are met continuously. Anything less is a recipe for problems which need to be avoided at all costs.


Tom Keith is the president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina